Saudi women who refused to unveil barred from entering France

Three women from Saudi Arabia were barred from entering France when they refused to remove their face veils at Charles de Gaulle airport on Monday.

Arriving in France on a flight from Doha, Qatar, three Saudi nationals were denied entry when they refused to comply with the French edict to remove their face veils.

Emirates 247 reported an official with the SGP-FO police union confirmed the women were refused entry by border police, and returned on a flight to Doha the same day.

The controversial French 'burqa ban' came into effect on April 11, 2011. Women who flout the ban are subject to fines of €150. When the law was introduced former French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the burqa was a sign of subjugation, stressing "it will not be welcome on our territory."

According to Arabian Business Gulf-based travel agencies said the French ban had not deterred tourists from Saudi Arabia from travelling to France. A spokesperson for Saudi-based Al Tayyar Travel Group said "France is the capital of fashion [and] ladies they will never give up going to France."

The Telegraph reported approximately 300 women have been caught breaking the law by appearing in pubic in a full face veil, since the law was introduced. However, chasing burqa rule breakers is not high on the list of priorities of the French police.